"Yes, I'll call," I said. I haven't talked to him in a long time and that's got to stop."
"Okay then, I'll see you around noon at Johnny's house? I can't wait to meet the guy that got Johnny." Raising his voice, he yelled back into the phone, "Hey, we could end up having a step dad!"
"Imagine that, a step dad? Okay then, I gotta go. See you around noon on Sunday. Talk to you later. Bye."
When I hung up the phone, I was a little on edge. I hadn't said anything about Johnny being engaged. I thought Robin should hear it from him. I hated to keep him in the dark. I sat back, putting Scratch in my lap, and reviewed the events of the last week. I was owned, I thought. Logan found a man who loves him for exactly who he is. I gotta call Logan and tell him about Johnny.
I called Logan after that and filled him in. He was really excited to find out that Johnny was so taken with his match that he'd already proposed. My heart was pounding. I'd never even been with Richard, but now it was starting to look even more promising.
Chapter Fifteen
Jay
It wasn't long after my call before Logan was knocking on the rear sliding door to my apartment. He had a sneaky smile on his face. Stepping through the door he started his pitch before I had a chance to say hi. "Look," he said, "If Scratch has this 'ability' to hone in on the perfect emotional match for a person why shouldn't you and I make a few bucks on it?"
"Oh, I knew it," I said. "I just knew from the look on your face you had something brewing. This is another one of your get rich quick schemes, isn't it? You and your marketing. I swear, anytime there's a buck involved you come to life."
"Think about it: Scratch The Matchmaker. An insanely wealthy person never knows if the person they want really wants them or their money. How much do you think it would be worth to find the person of their dreams, and knowing their love was genuine?"
"How in the world would you find rich people who want to pay good money to find the person of their dreams? Oh, and how would we know if that person was even around?"
"Have you ever considered the possibility that there are lots of people who are actually perfect lovers? Look how many Scratch already found. How often do you think you walk by a person who'd love who you are and don't even notice them?"
"You have a point. Maybe I'm making the perfect person sound like a needle in a haystack when in reality, there's a whole bunch of them. How are you going to find lonely hearts out there with the bucks to make it worthwhile?"
"You leave it to me? I'm the marketing guru, you're the shrink, remember? Let me do the selling, but if I succeed, I get half."
"Wait… I have a few rules."
"What do you mean 'rules'? Since when do we have rules?"
"Since Richard. He's big on rules and they seem to help."
"Wait a minute," Logan said, raising his head in a way I knew from experience meant he was unsure about something I was doing. "If he's demanding of you and giving you rules, you could eventually find out he expects you to mind every demand he makes on you. You need to nip this in the bud, and if he's…."
"No, it's nothing like that." We discuss rules like what we expect of each other, and those rules are things we agree on or they don't happen. It's kind of like sharing the things we expect instead of assuming them and finding out our expectations aren't shared. Now back to the matchmaker thing. I make the rules because Scratch is my dog. That's a little different. I don't want to lose or endanger Scratch, so Rule Number One: no loaning Scratch to other people. One of us has to be present at all times. Two: no taking money from people we can't match up to their special someone. We don't get paid for failures. That way, if this is just a coincidence, the business with Scratch Matchmaking will be over soon."
Looking like a used car salesman who just got his first yes, Logan agreed to my rules. "Deal. Tell you what: the money back guarantee makes an excellent marketing strategy. Something tells me people with lots of money who are excited about their new special someone wouldn't dream of stiffing me. So, I'll go one more. I'll tell people payments aren't due until after success is confirmed. How's that for a deal? No perfect partner, no bill. Frankly, it will make it a lot easier to sell. People don't have to trust me. For something this outrageous, trust could be a major issue."
Knowing that Logan was willing to accept all of my demands and didn't plan on taking money up front allowed me to finally relax. "Oh, and Logan, there's one other thing I've been thinking about. The day I took Scratch to the restaurant, the only two people that didn't touch Scratch were the people that either didn't get hooked up, or were already matched. You see what I mean? People touching Scratch at the same time might be a pre-requisite for Scratch's ability."
"Wow, that would mean people who hated dogs lose out altogether. Lucky for us, they're in the minority. I'll use touching as a qualifier temporarily until we see evidence otherwise."
This phone call was getting a lot longer than what I'd planned. I already found myself walking around in circles in my living room. "Look, I gotta go. We'll talk more later." When I hung up the phone with Logan, I glanced down at Scratch. I couldn't help feeling like we'd be using the little guy. It was just something that rubbed me the wrong way. We wouldn't be hurting anybody, and we'd really be giving them happiness, I thought. After a while, I felt better about it. Taking money for love was a little like prostituting the little guy, but making lonely people happy did make up for it. Websites do it all the time, I reasoned. Why not a couple of poor graduate students?
The rest of the week I tried to concentrate on my studies. I had an exam on Friday and needed to play catch-up. Romance and study don't mix well together. Every day I talked with Richard, and every night I went to bed with a smile on my face knowing Richard was doing the same.
Thankfully, Friday's exam several days later went really well, sending me into the weekend with a positive feeling about everything. Richard brought pizza and we talked about my friendship with Logan. When I told him about Logan's idea, he laughed. "People like you and me being in the same place at the same time doesn't happen often. Even if Scratch is so charming he brings people together, feeling that attraction so strongly you have to act on it is something even a magic dog can't do."
"What if it's something like pheromones? What if he exudes something, some chemical, that accentuates a person's momentary attraction just enough to send them over the top, just enough to get them to act? Then again, on the other hand, you came to my apartment just to help Scratch."
Looking into my eyes, Richard replied, "Well, actually, I liked Scratch, but I came because I wanted to see you again." Touching my cheek, he added, "I was taken by your eyes. When you first turned away from me at the store, I felt a loss at not being able to look at your face. I was drinking in those eyes of yours. Scratch was really just an excuse to see you again."
Not daring to move, I whispered, "Okay, when you talk like that, it's kind of hard for me to think… Oh, yeah, I was talking about pheromones." Richard withdrew his arm, making it easier for me to find the words I needed. "I think the real argument is whether the people you meet through Scratch are always going to be 'the one.' Either way, I guess we'll eventually figure it out. If Logan really wants to do this, and he's willing to do the marketing, I'm willing to let Scratch try it and split the proceeds. I already set some rules to protect Scratch and keep Logan from ripping anyone off."
"Rules, huh? Sounds familiar." Richard smirked. "You guys seem to have everything under control. Now, speaking of rules, I've been thinking. You and I have a little agreement. It's a temporary agreement, and I think we need to set a day for that to happen. But first, did you get the results? I got mine last night. Everything's 'go' on my side."
"I had the draw done a few days ago. Everything is clean. I can't tell you what a relief that was. I thought it would be really hard if I had to tell you I had anything that…"
"I know. It would have been hard for me too, but now we don't need to worry about that." Throwing my arms around Richard, I was all smiles
. "Well, congratulations." It seemed like the news made him as happy as it did me.
"Richard, could we do something just for the sake of both of our feelings? Remember those, the important things we're exploring? The real reason we're waiting?"
"Sure, what's that?"
Looking at the man who wanted to give me the date when he and I could finally be intimate and knowing both of us had good test results left me wanting to beg him that we start right now, but I'd agreed to him setting the time. "If you want to decide when and where we're going to finally do it, I'm fine with that, but please don't tell me. I think you'll feel the moment more knowing I don't know it's coming. I know I will."
Looking a little sheepish, he almost whispered his reply, "I just thought if you knew, then you could be… prepared, if you know what I mean."
Looking up at the ceiling—as uncomfortable with my answer as he was with his statement—I finally answered. "I accepted you having the power to set the day and time, but I didn't think you'd tell me so I decided I'd be ready when I knew you might be around. That way I'd be cleaned up real good just in case."
Grabbing both of my shoulders, Richard pulled me toward him. His eyes were wide. Lowering his voice, he said, "Really? You've… prepared for that already? Like even today?"
"Well, yeah, I don't know what you'll want to do or just how adventurous you might get, but I wanted to be prepared for any eventuality."
Richard looked at me like he hadn't all day. He seemed to be scanning my body. The look on his face changed and I couldn't read it. It was like shock. I knew my comments had affected him big time. He seemed to be contemplating something. Pulling me the rest of the way in, he whispered into my ear, "You mean, if I were to kiss you, right now, wrap my arms around you, take both of your arms behind your back and tie them in place, then blindfold you and lead you to your bedroom, you'd be ready for anything I had planned?"
I looked up into those steely eyes and just nodded. My voice was gone. I wasn't sure why he chose the pinning of my hands and the blindfolding as an example, but it had me sinking into a special place I was becoming accustomed to that he was so good at finding. If he kept talking like this, I didn't know if I could bear it. Then I realized he wasn't done.
"I could strip you, force you down onto the rug, replace my tongue in your mouth with my finger as you kneeled in front of me, and you'd be ready for that?"
I could no longer speak. I was staring at Richard's hand. Nobody had ever put their finger in my mouth. Richard had big hands. Realizing he would eventually do that had me weak in the knees.
Richard took me in his arms, burying his face along my neck. He inhaled deeply, then pulled me back and looked into my eyes. I tried to speak, but couldn't remember what I'd said last. Language failed me again. He kissed me softly, and it seemed like he wanted to just shut me up.
"You're one hundred percent right," he whispered. "I want it to be totally spontaneous for me too. There's only one way to do it right. I was planning on having our moment at my place, but now I know that won't work. This has to start now. You okay with that?"
Again he got a nod. I was more than okay with that.
I was ready to turn and move to the bedroom, but faltered. Someone was in control here and it wasn't me. The tone of his voice was holding me in my place both physically and emotionally. The control he projected with his choice of words wasn't lost on me. I wasn't making any decisions in my state. Maybe I never would. I had no idea where this was going, but it was doing something to me I couldn't control, something I liked.
"Walk to your bedroom. For right now, just for now, try not to talk. We're about to enter a world that's new to you. We're not going in there just to have sex. We're going in there to explore your feelings."
I looked around to see Richard's face. I was concerned that he seemed to think this was all about me. "What about your feelings?"
"Not to worry. You see, when I know I'm taking you deep into submission, your special place, I arrive at my own. I can only get there through you. You're going to give me everything I need. Don't you ever think this is about one of us over the other, even if it seems like it is. It just doesn't work that way."
His voice was working its magic. I just nodded and headed toward the bedroom. Walking down the hall I thought about what he'd said. Hearing his words and knowing that somehow my submission was his pleasure point gave me a feeling of power, something that seemed out of place for a situation like this. When I reached the bedroom, Richard started to unbutton my shirt. I started to help him, and he placed my hands to my side. He said, "Stop," then lifted my chin and looked into my eyes while he continued unbuttoning my shirt. When he finished, he pulled his t-shirt from his chest and tossed it on the floor. A thick carpet of rich dark fur was directly in front of me. The hair covering his chest formed concentric swirls, as though an artist had painted them to be perfect. As if he could hear me thinking, he pulled my face gently down into his chest. "Inhale."
I breathed in deeply, falling deeper as I did so. The scent of him was intoxicating. His voice was gentle, as though he knew I was sinking into this fragile state. He lifted my chin and planted his lips to mine, searching inside with his tongue. I sucked on it gently, watching him all the while.
Reaching down between us, he unbuttoned my shorts and let them drop. He knelt, gently pulling my briefs to the floor. "Step out," he said, holding my legs as I did so. He tossed them to the side. Remaining crouched before me he ran his tongue across my length, then gently pulled me down to the floor. As I arrived, kneeling on the soft carpet before him, he rose. Wrapping my head in his hands, he pressed my face gently into his pants, running the fabric covering a thick lump across my face. As I reached up to touch him, he said, "No."
I pulled my arms back. It all seemed so perfect. I was doing anything he asked, feeling him hold my head, doing whatever he wanted with it. I was falling deeper. I didn't know where this was all going, but I loved the way he was making me feel. I trusted him intimately.
He unfastened the button of his denim shorts and slowly unzipped them. I could hear the teeth of the zipper slowly being pulled apart. I'd never seen him without pants. He let the shorts fall around his feet. Stepping out, he kicked them aside and said, "Look at it."
I gazed up into those gray eyes of his, knowing he'd make demands and knowing that following them was something I wanted. His eyes were kind, even though his words were direct. He gently grabbed the hair on the back of my head, pulling me into his thickness. Again he rubbed himself across my face, repeating the performance through the thinner brief fabric while he grew firmer and thicker.
I still had not seen what I desperately desired. He slid himself across my cheek and over my nose, pulling me into the patch of fur forming the triangle just above his briefs. I didn't know what he was waiting for. I needed this. I had to see him. Again he slid himself across my face, tilting my head this time to slide over my lips.
"Do you want it, Jay?"
"Yes." I half-coughed in anticipation.
"Yes, what?" he softly demanded.
"Yes. I want to see it."
"Is that all?"
"No. Please…"
"That's it. That's my boy,"
I didn't care anymore about what he might think of me at this moment, or whether he desired me. Something had changed. I was a pile of need. The normal cares people have about how they look or how they are perceived by others were gone. I'd descended into a bottomless well of desire. I needed to see it. I needed to see him. I wanted to reach up and drop the waistband, but knew without asking that this was forbidden.
Finally, leaving one hand gripping my head by the hair from behind, Richard slipped off his briefs. My suspicions were realized when his briefs hit the floor. Richard was large, so large that his size began to worry me. At the same time, I understood that as far as I was concerned, he was getting everything he wanted.
Richard saw my surprise and dropped to his knees in front of me. "You trust me, do
n't you?"
I nodded.
"I will never do anything that will hurt you. Do you believe me?"
I nodded again.
"Understand what that means. Relax and give yourself to me. I will take you to a place you'll never want to leave. Are you okay with that?"
Once more I nodded in agreement. He again pulled my face into his fur. This time I inhaled without being told. The scent of him was so intoxicating, I could almost feel my eyes begin to droop. After putting me at ease he rose and once again held my head in place.
"Open your mouth," he ordered.
Obeying, I looked up at his body and his face as he placed his finger deep inside, just as he'd promised. I leaned forward to take it deeper into my throat. I'd never done this before, but I wanted him so badly, and the idea of him putting his finger into my mouth had my head spinning. He thrust it in and out twice and withdrew it.
Richard reached down and gently wiped the clear bead that had formed on the end across my lips. Before me was the beautiful thick cylinder standing at attention. It seemed to bow to me as it throbbed ever so slightly. I felt the palm of his other hand let go of my hair. Cupping the back of my head with his palm, he pulled me gently forward.
Taking the bulbous end into my mouth, I was once again flooded with this new feeling. This time it was more intense. Using both hands now, he pulled me forward, halfway down, and held me in place. My will had vanished.
In a moment, before I lost my breath, he pulled me off, then lifted me up to a standing position. He directed me to lie across my bed on my back. He leaned over me, kissing me gently first on the lips and then down the side of my neck. At the same time, his palms were running along my sides. In a moment, he ran his hands over my chest and stomach, taking me in his fist and then releasing me as he continued down. My legs parted and he reached between. Finding the spot, he began to circle and massage the delicate area.
I remembered his words. He reached away with his hand for a moment and in seconds it was back. This time, his fingers were moist and slick. As he leaned forward, I wrapped my arms around his neck. His lips were moving from my neck to my chest. He sucked in my nipple and a lightning bolt ran the length of me. When the shock was over, I realized his finger was deep inside of me.
Scratch the Matchmaker Page 10